Chapter 235: Chapter 235: What’s Your Main Quest?

“You seem not to be quite clear on your current predicament…” said Chen Ke.

Louis and Rama looked at each other, wringing their hands, and said, “Of course we know… um… we need a job right now…”

Chen Ke held his forehead and sighed, looking at them, “You probably forgot that you can still turn to ash… right?”

The two exchanged glances again, seeming to realize the seriousness of the situation for the first time.

“I can’t save you now, but I’ll try to think of something. In the meantime, you can stay with me, but there’s a precondition,” Chen Ke said.

Louis and Rama looked at Chen Ke, bewildered.

“First, don’t mess with my stuff. Second, don’t go out and talk to people on your own. Third, do what I say without asking why. Got it?” Chen Ke said.

“Can we… surf the internet?” Louis asked.

Chen Ke thought for a moment and felt it was no big deal, so he nodded.

For the next half hour, Chen Ke went downstairs and bought a bunch of food for Rama and Louis, who feasted heartily since they hadn’t had a proper meal since coming from that world. Afterward, Chen Ke pulled out 5,000 union coins to give to them as emergency funds, at least they could order some delivery services over the phone.

After eating, they took turns bathing. Since the two didn’t have a change of clothes and there was no way to order suits from Lester without knowing their sizes, they had to wear their dirty clothes for the time being.

Chen Ke put on his bathrobe and took out paper and pen to list some things the two needed, planning to help them buy these things when he went out. Just then, Lester’s subordinate paid a visit.

“Your suit, sir…”

Chen Ke took the bag and gave him the blue suit he had worn before.

He changed his clothes, donned a gun holster, and placed the Glock and Spiritual Ability Pistol in the holster. Louis and Rama helped Chen Ke load bullets into the empty magazines. Although both hinted they wanted a gun first, Chen Ke shook his head, denying their requests.

He now had three Spiritual Ability Pistols and three magazines for the pistols, but only two magazines of Punishment bullets… Insufficient to rely on as his main weapon against monsters.

The previous PPQ.45 had been melted by the Silent Witch, so he had no choice but to make do with the Glock he had picked up at the beginning, even without a suppressor…

He had Rama and Louis search for nearby hotels on the computer to find a close one to move to.

Though Rama and Louis didn’t know why Chen Ke suddenly wanted to move, he had said not to ask him any questions, so they didn’t say much and started looking up hotel booking services on the old computer.

At that moment, Chen Ke’s phone began to vibrate. He took it out and saw it was Hainerd.

Chen Ke took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, then stepped out of the room and answered the call.

“Chen Ke… I can’t believe I got through,” said Hainerd in a deep voice.

“Hainerd…” Chen Ke responded.

“Do you want to see Lucina?” asked Hainerd, getting straight to the point.

“Um…” Chen Ke nodded.

“Then come see me first,” Hainerd said.

“At… the gun shop?” Chen Ke asked.

“No, come to the Shipper Fishery Company in the Deep Anchor District,” Hainerd said and then hung up.

Chen Ke tucked his phone into his pocket, straightened his tie, checked his two guns and the Holy Diamond, and tucked away the Blasphemous Dagger that was on the table.

“I’m going out for a bit and will be back tonight. Find a hotel as soon as possible…” Chen Ke instructed.

“Um… although you said not to ask questions, I feel we need to clarify some things. You know, ‘booking a hotel room’ is a very general statement, and sometimes a very general statement can lead to an outcome that deviates from the initial expectations…” Louis said.

“Stop… Ask your question directly…” Chen Ke waved his hand.

“How expensive can we book? How many rooms?” Rama asked.

Chen Ke thought for a moment and said, “Book three rooms, two days. Don’t worry about the price. Just make it a bit farther from here.”

After confirming there were no more questions, Chen Ke left and hailed a taxi to the Deep Anchor District.

The car stopped in front of the Shipper Fishery Company, which was nothing more than a seafood processing factory. The small plant reeked of fish, and many workers were busy at work, freezing and boxing the freshly caught fish.

Hainerd sat under an awning drinking beer, with the early summer afternoon sun making one inexplicably hot, and paired with the fishy smell, it compelled Chen Ke to cover his nose.

Chen Ke didn’t know whether this fishery was Hainerd’s property, but given Hainerd’s age, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to use his savings to open up a legitimate business.

Chen Ke, neatly dressed in a suit, had just taken a shower, his body clean and neat, which made him look extremely out of place in the sweaty environment.

When Hainerd saw Chen Ke, he tossed him a can of beer.

“Aren’t you hot? Grab a chair and sit down,” Hainerd said.

Chen Ke pulled the ring of the can and took a swig. He dragged over a small stool and sat down.

“You look like a refined person, am I right, Lin… Chen… anyway, ‘Ke’ is fine, right?” Hainerd asked with a laugh.

“Just call me Chen Ke…” Chen Ke laughed.

“You don’t need to tell me where you’ve been these past two days, I’m not concerned with that. What I want to know is… what are your plans moving forward?” Hainerd asked.

“Plans?” Chen Ke was taken aback.

“Do you read novels, Chen Ke?” Hainerd abruptly changed the subject.

“Of course I do,” Chen Ke scratched his head.

“Novel stories have main and side plots, as well as subplots and hidden threads intersecting. Chen Ke, if you were the protagonist of a novel, what would be your main plot, hmm?” Hainerd asked, cackling.

“I…” Chen Ke hummed lowly and then took another sip of beer.

Initially, what he most wanted to do was remove the life countdown in his head. That countdown was like a grim reaper, pushing him forward relentlessly, leaving him no control over himself. No matter what lay ahead, he could only take a step forward first.

But after so many experiences, his view of the countdown had changed. Consider, if there hadn’t been that countdown, could he have survived the numerous perilous situations he had faced?

It’s not that he could only survive by relying on the countdown, but at the very least, it had helped him a great deal in his fight.

Why could he substitute life for Spiritual Energy in battle? Why could he expend his soul to open Teleportation Gates? This countdown might not be as simple as he had previously thought.

“I just want… to survive,” Chen Ke muttered.

“We’re all the same, only by living can we finish our stories. Right?” Hainerd smiled, raised his beer can in the air and made a toasting gesture; Chen Ke also raised his can to go along.

“To live is just the beginning, but why live? Chen Ke, have you considered this question?” Hainerd asked with a smile, after taking a sip of beer.

“For life itself. To have the chance to be a person in this world, to feel it–isn’t that a marvelous, fortunate thing?” Chen Ke countered.

“You Fei Huang People always like to talk about profound things, hahaha…” Hainerd laughed heartily.

“What exactly are you trying to say to me, Hainerd?” Chen Ke asked.

“Listen, kid, I’ll just say it straight: you’ve got a score to settle with Si’s Consortium, and you joined the postal couriers for personal grudges. If you die in your revenge, then forget I said anything. But if you don’t…” Hainerd leaned forward, his elbows propped on his knees.

“It sounds like the latter scenario is more likely… What if I’m still alive, then what?” Chen Ke asked.

“Would you still stay with the postal couriers?” Hainerd inquired.

Chen Ke remained silent; he didn’t know.

Joining the postal couriers had been a bizarre coincidence, one that felt almost like destiny’s doing. Working for the couriers solved Chen Ke’s immediate problems and helped him through difficult times in the beginning.

But what about after that?